Pure Heart
by Celtyfoof
Summary: It has been a little over a year since Blumiere saved me recovering my human form. We have been living in peace in a secluded village ever since but I knew it was all too good to be true. As soon as we were discovered our lives changed all over again and they couldn't have picked a worse time.
1. Chapter 1

_It had been a little over a year since my love saved me. He almost destroyed all worlds in the process. We had finally been able to live together in peace for the first time, but it was all too good to be true._

"Timpani, where are you going?"

"I just have an errand, dear."

He gave her a peculiar look, "Why haven't you told me about this?"

"It's a surprise," She smiled before skipping out the door. Blumiere shrugged as he returned to the kitchen and adjusted his monocle to prepare dinner. Timpani, already on the dirt path leading away from their cottage pulled the violet cloak tight around her body and hurried along clutching a small basket. It was midday and the whole village was awake and lively.

"Hello, Timpani!"

"Good afternoon, Timpani dear."

"How is Blumiere?"

People made casual conversation with her as she walked by stopping politely to answer their questions as she hurried along. After the events a little over a year ago, Timpani and Blumiere moved far away from the places of the past and settled in a small village where people wouldn't recognize them. Occasionally someone would mention the time the sky went violet and both Blumiere and Timpani would just hope no questions were asked.

"Tippi," an almost too familiar voice said bringing back a memory of the past.  
Startled the young woman dropped her basket and looked up at the one addressing her, "Princess, what are you doing here?"

The princess giggled, "On official Mushroom Kingdom business. Isn't this peachy! People have been wondering where you went!"

Timpani looked around nervously, "Now dear, don't get the wrong idea but nobody can know we are here."

The princess frowned, "Well that's no fun. Why not?"

Timpani sighed and picked up her basket, "Princess Peach, it's been a long time. Blumiere and I just want to start anew where nobody knows us. It's too dangerous with him around."

"Nobody will hurt you."

Timpani just shook her head, "People would hate us. Blumiere is looked upon as a monster for opening the void. They just don't know it's him... And Dimentio..."

"Is dead," Peach interrupted, "We are sure of it."

Slowly Timpani nodded, "Of course we saw it happen."

"You're just paranoid. You and Blumiere should meet Mario and me for dinner tonight," Peach chuckled, "It would be so much fun!"

"Princess, you mustn't tell Mario about us.

Peach waved it away, "I insist. My treat!" Before Timpani could further protest the bubbly Princess waved and hurried off. Timpani gripped her baskets uneasily and continued on her way.

_So you see I was on my way through town when things started going poorly for Blumiere and myself. I had run into Princess Peach, one of the heroes from so long ago. Blumiere and I tried so hard to rid ourselves of anything and everything of our past lives but there it was, at the worst possible moment they were back.  
"Why the worst possible moment?"  
Oh it's nothing really. That's besides the point. That moment in the middle of town our lives would change._

Blumiere sat at the kitchen table tracing the top of his glass with his finger awaiting his wife as dinner began to cool off on the counter behind him. It had been a few hours since Timpani had left on her errands. Blumiere was just about to grab his coat and top hat to go out after her when the door to the cottage opened and he heard someone enter.

"Timpani?"

"It's me dear," she responded before entering the kitchen.

"What took you so long?"

She waved the question away and wrapped her cloak around the kitchen chair before sitting, "Honey, I ran into an old friend today."

Blumiere tensed, "Who?" For the first time in forever Blumiere's eyes were filled with genuine fear.

"Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom if you remember her."

"Of course I do. She along with the mustached brothers and that sassy turtle were responsible for reuniting me with you."

Timpani smiled but that brief moment of happiness quickly faded, "We can't run anymore. We have to face all that has happened including you with the Dark Prognosticus."

Blumiere grimaced, "That name is like a violent burn."

"I know honey." The couple froze as a knocking came at the door.

"Are you expecting visitors?" Timpani asked as Blumiere slowly rose from his chair.

"No, I must confess I'm a little on edge. It's probably nothing, people visit all the time."

Timpani forced a smile, "Yeah. Peach wanted us to have dinner with her though."

"She doesn't know where we live."

Timpani shook her head, "We are being paranoid. Nobody knows about anything it's find let's just answer the door." Blumiere nodded in agreement. Timpani rose and joining her husband they walked out into the hall. The knocking on the door came once more.

"Just a minute!" Blumiere called. He stepped ahead of Timpani and grabbing the brass handle opened it.

_And that's when it happened._


	2. Chapter 2

_"You couldn't stop them?"  
What was I supposed to do? Neither of us saw it coming. Those people, they call themselves The Pure Hearts.  
"Weren't those..."  
Yes they were the weapons used to defeat the Dark Prognosticus. Well... Weapons in a strong word. They were the physical forms of pure love.  
"What do they do?"  
They believe that they can purify the world by destroying all forms of dark magic and you know my love was involved with the void incident. They wanted to track him down and we knew it, that's why we left. We knew they would find out my Blumiere was responsible.  
"What did you do?"_

Timpani sat on the ground breathing heavily as she clutched onto the coat rack. Three or four men, she could barely see came in and started talking about some ritual. They attacked Blumiere and pushed her down leaving her helpless as they took her husband away. Before she could call for help or even stand up they disappeared. The small woman was now reduced to tears as she wept.

"I'm so sorry, Blumiere. I should have saved you," She muttered to herself.

Meanwhile Blumiere had been transported to a home of sorts. It was a small log cabin that smelled of pine and vanilla, a little quaint for being a hostage.

"Where are we?" He demanded struggling against his captors.

"Oh, Count Bleck!" A voice chimed.

"Princess? Princess Peach, you were behind this?"

"Mimimimimimi don't be so daft," the Princess or make believe Princess winked, "You know I've always wanted to wear a crown. I could never resist fine jewels." Blumiere's eyes widened as the Princess slowly morphed into the little green lady that had once been his minion.

"How are you a part of this? You are just as much involved in darker arts as I am!"

She giggled, "There will be time for questions later. Boys why don't you make our guest comfortable!"

"Right away mistress Mimi," responded one of the men who pushed Blumiere into a chair by the fire and strapped him in with a white fiber.

"Mimi, you worked for me! You were loyal to me!"

"Hurts to be betrayed, doesn't it. You left us all homeless and jobless for what, that stupid fairy. We trusted you, we relied on you!"

"What about the mansion?"

Mimi scoffed, "What you wanted me to go be a maid again for some old hag? I'm through serving others! It's about time I run the show."

"You mentioned a cleansing ritual?"

The biggest man looked right at Blumiere and laughed, "We aren't telling you anything."

He sighed, "What about Timpani, can you at least promise me you'll leave her alone?"

Mimi thought it over, "Well she did crush the hearts of all your most faithful partners..."

Blumiere rolled his eyes and struggled against the restraints then in an angered voice spoke, "Where are they? Where are the rest, are they here too? They would speak on my behalf I know it!"

"I wouldn't be so sure. O'Chunks is lost in the worlds and you know it. He's not very bright it's what got him kicked out of his old job. Sure you took him in but you never did anything for him. He's abandoned and lost. Dimentio got himself blown up so good luck with that one."

"What about Nastasia? She knows me!"

At that comment Mimi burst out in laughter, "You oblivious fool! You know nothing Nastasia would never save your precious Timpani!"

"What happened to the little girl? Who are you Mimi?"

"Little girls grow up. Boys, go get the wife. We'll decide what to do with her later." The men that retrieved Blumiere nodded and rushed out of the doors of the cabin before disappearing.

"I'm so glad that I found you, Blumiere, a year is a long time to wait."

Back at the cottage Timpani was frantically packing a small bag when they arrived in her room where she packed.

"Get away!" She shrieked as they advanced. Quickly she backed away when she felt the window behind her. On a limb she cast the window open and jumped out. She was only on the first floor, and the minions were right behind her but she bolted for it away from the cottage into town eyes wide with fright and hair blowing behind her.

"You can't run, missy!" They called out after her. They kept disappearing and reappearing just feet from her but Timpani kept her eyes forward and run. Her breath was short and shaky but there was no time to stop for a break.

_"You just ran?"  
What else could I do? I was being pursued.  
"They could just teleport."  
It was worth a shot. I had to find help. I just couldn't afford letting them catch me. My mind was so clouded and scared adrenaline just took over and I kept running for my life, for our lives.  
"Yours and Blumiere's?"  
Of course. I didn't think it would work, in fact my plan was a long shot and I was doomed to be taken back with them. However, that's when the unexpected happened._


	3. Chapter 3

_"Unexpected, what do you mean by that?"  
Someone I hadn't seen in forever showed up just in time._

Timpani ran frantically barely able to move one leg after the other when suddenly she halted as someone materialized in front of her.

"Tippi, you must come with me!" The man wore a long cloak that covered his face. Quickly he reached out and grabbing Timpani's arm disappeared with her as well. They reappeared in a small stone building. Shaken, Timpani leaned against a bookcase and swayed before throwing up before her. The man put down the hood at his cloak and stared with distaste.

"You've just made a long journey. You should rest while I clean your... Little accident." Timpani nodded but was too woozy to say anything as she slowly made her way to a chair on the far side of the room.

"I'm sure you're surprised to see me. You've been so far away you haven't heard what has been going on. The Pure Hearts as they call themselves have risen up and they are terrorizing people all the time to join their cause. It's just preposterous. They don't realize that they're being manipulated, their cause isn't good, they're doing more harm. Grambi knows that dark magic is involved too and I fear worse than the Dark Prognosticus before."

Timpani regained her composure as she sat up straight and looked at her host, "Merlon, why did you come get me?"

While fetching two mugs of tea he smiled, "I know."

She blushed and stared at him with wide eyes, "I don't understand."

He chuckled, "I have the blood of the sages, dear one, Merlimbis, Merloo, Merlight, and Merlumina. I know things."

Timpani stared at the rug beneath her feet watching the threads swirl around. After hesitating she spoke, "If you know what I think you know then you also know how much trouble I'm in."

"No, no dear quite the contrary, this will save you."

Timpani froze before standing up and walking over to Merlon. He placed the mug in her hand and she took a slow sip letting the warmth graze her face before opening her mouth once more, "This will cause unknown destruction. Nobody knows what will happen."

Merlon shook his head, "I'm getting quite old but also quite wise. Trust me, everything will be fine, but we must find Blumiere!"

Timpani took a hard swallow, "You don't think they..."

"No, no, they wouldn't he's much too valuable. They need him for their cleansing ceremony."

"They mentioned that, when they took Blumiere away. What is a cleansing ceremony?"

"They want to take any dark magic out of him, relinquish him from the Tribe of Darkness and turn him into something of their creation."

"How can they do that?"

"Back in the Tribe of Ancients, the first pixls were created. It was a messy business but they did so by creating machines out of lost souls from the Underwhere."

Timpani nodded, "That's right, I completely forgot that's how you knew how to save me. You preserved me as a pixl."

Merlon smiled, "Yes well this group of misfits thinks that they can just manipulate this method to do their own bidding. It's quite sinister. I'm afraid, Timpani, that even worse things will happen if they aren't stopped."

She set the mug down, "Like what?"

Merlon tugged on his beard in frustration and sat down, "From what I hear they want to recreate the Pixl Queen."

Timpani grew quiet for quite some time before muttering, "So to stop them I have to..."

"Yes."

"Even though..."

"Yes, Timpani, and I'm sorry."

"I don't know if I can."

Merlon shook his head, "Good luck." By playing his hand on her shoulder, Timpani was already beginning to disappear. It took all of her strength to suppress the tears welling up in her eyes as she fully left the house.

_"Can they really do that?"  
They might, I didn't think it was even possible. That happened so many years ago, I always just imagined they were fairy stories.  
"So Merlon was the one who sent you there?"  
Yes, the only way to prevent them from committing that heinous crime was to send me down there myself. I had no choice. I had to go to the Underwhere._


End file.
